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This would actually be a good game, if they didnt repeat the same task and lost the card game.

This is no where near like any other final fantasy game. This is a mixture of various types of game play. You have a role playing game, as you are in control of a small cute yellow chocobo and must complete numerous repetative tasks to complete the game. You also a lame card game, which you collect cards to defeat enemies in battle. The game tests you ability of using your stylus and voice control to complete various mini games (very similar to the game Warioworld and Zelda phantom hour)

In a peaceful and rather sickly sweet town, Chocobo are settling down to listen to a story read by a young girl, Shirma. You are interrupted by a travelling book salesman who offers you a new book and asks you to unlock it with a simple sliding tiles game. After you unlock the book, it comes alive in the form of a slobbering dog book. This is the evil Bebuzzu, who wishes to return to his original form. He begins by sucking all your Chocobo friends into his pages (so long, farewell). It is your mission to help rescue your friends (if you can be bothered) and defeat Bebuzzu from draining all the magical crystals on the island of their power. Ok, it's the usual final fantasy storyline, defeat the bad guy from destroying the world, but this is rather childish version. You will be able to tell by the graphics that this game is designed for the younger generation (and they can keep it)

After you create a file to start the game, you have 6 options to choose from:1) Story mode; This is your main adventure2) Quick play: Where you can play all the mini games and micro games you have unlocked during your story mode.3) Multiplayer: compete against your friends (if you have any willing to play the game). You can either challenge them to a card duel or play against them in one of the mini games.4) Nintendo WFC: WiFi connection is needed, which I don't have. Here you can challenge people to a card duel.5) Send: If only I had someone to send me the cards they have collect, then I wouldn't have to bother.6) Options: Select your audio preference from stereo, surround or headphones

If you really want to rescue you pals, you will need to complete various mini games in the form of books. These can be found scattered throughout the game. Most of the titles of the books are based on famous fables and fairytales, but instead you the names of well know final fantasy characters. I must admit these games are extremely repetitive. They each have 5 levels for you to complete (of the same strategy, but just a little harder) as well as trial modes. Each time you complete a level or a time trial, you will either gain a battle card, release a chocobo or react with world to help you progress. Unfortunately, you need to complete most of the levels of the same task in order progress to the final battle.

Considering that most of the games are mini and micro games, I think I should explain. Mini games are all your book games. Quite a few of them are a race against or collect more points than your opponents. One of the books is a rip off of "Simon says". Most of the games test your skill with your stylus, others a matter of just pure luck. Considering I am always unlucky these didn't appeal to me. You will find Micro games throughout the game and are highlight on the map screen as an exclamation mark. They take numerous amount of practise and repetitive time to accomplish. If you know somebody who has completed these, then get them to send you the cards. Then at least you don't have to do it, but you must have very silly mates to have done this.

The battles are just as annoying and repetitive are the rest of the game. (As my review is by now, get yourself a Redbull to continue reading) You will receive a deck storage Via Mog. This is the most pathetic card game/battle I have ever played. You have four circles on the card (top, bottom and sides). These will either contain a sword (means you hit your opponent), a shield (obviously defend) or blank. Each card comes with a description on the amount of damage the card does. You both select a card from you deck. If you both have swords in the same area, you only hit with half the damage of the card. If you have a shield you receive no damage and if the area is blank you receive full damage. Rubbish, eh?

The top screen graphics main shows your map on the form of a grid during normal role playing game. On this screen you can locate where your nearest book is. The graphic change when you are in battle mode. The top screen then shows you your attacks. All the graphic on the top screen are in 2D, in which the characters look as if they are torn out of a book. The movement of the character can descried as puppets, much like the movement of south park character.

The bottom screen is mostly in 3D and is used for control of all movement and games. The colours are vibrant and the animation is cute. Hence, the appeal mostly to the younger generation. There are no real stunning effects that you come to expect from a final fantasy game.

Ok, I suppose you are wondering why I have reviewed this game or how I know so much about it. I was tempted by the final fantasy name as I am a huge fan and have completed all the games for the playstation. I will admit most of the mini games I was just bored. The main problem I had was repeating the same task over and over. The game would be for superior if you only had to complete the task once. Although some of the tasks I did like and tried my best to complete such the balloon game in which you need to blow into the microphone in order to lift your character and collect points whilst avoiding enemies. I also like the mini games that required skill and not just dumb luck. Unfortunately, I think the game concentrates too much on the capabilities of the DS touch screen and voice control, rather than on actual game play enjoyment. If you like final fantasy, please don't be fooled by the name. It's nothing like the mingames in final fantasy 7, such as chocobo racing, which is still by far the best final fantasy game in the series. If you like playing games such as Warioworld and Sonic Olympics, then you might like this game also.

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An excellent spin off from final fantasy.

Final fantasy fales: Chokobo tales for the DS is a spin of from Final Fantasy. It is an adventure game which appears to be aimed at younger gamers but none the less fun for anyone else.

You play as a yellow chocobo who is sucked into a mysterious book which is brought back from Croma's travels. The world in which the chocobo's live becomes sealed within the book. The aim of the game is defeat darkmaster bebuzzu, by taking on a series of challenging minigames.

Some of the minigames are harder than others, but personally I found it an easy to medium difficulty game.

Along the way, the player comes across a series of trading card type cards which feature a creature with certain attacks. These cards are used to create a deck to defeat enemies along the way. As the game progresses, the player collects more cards, making their deck stronger along the way.

Overall, chocobo tales is a simple game to control and is suitable for all ages. If you enjoyed the final fantasy games and want a change, try playing chocobo tales.

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If you're a die-hard FF fan!

This is a bizarre game in the fact that it appears to defy classic genres. It's sort of an RPG, in the plot, but the main gameplay appears to be based around a series of minigame challenges (mainly utilising the nintendo ds stylus and touch screen, some more complex than others), but an added twist is that the classic RPG combat system is replaced with one loosely based on a sort of trading card game- the whole experience is a kind of strange hybrid TCG/RPG experience.Considering all this, it's managed to pull it off reasonably well... but it all feels kind of basic and depthless. The card-game combat is too simple, and for any kid whose grown up with pokemon cards or Magic the Gathering it will seem a waste of time. The minigames, although good, are too sparse, and too many challenges involve simply repating a previous game but in a different time limit, etc.

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lots of fun for young & old!

I'm a fan of other Final Fantasy games in which Chocobos have appeared before, so when I saw a cheap copy of this for sale, I thought I'd give it a try! I have to admit, I think it's aimed at a much younger market than the original Final Fantasy games, but I'm still really enjoying it so far!

As the game is aimed at a younger audience, and its concept is quite simple. You are a Chocobo who enjoys listening to stories with his friends. One day though, your friends get sucked into books thanks to the villain of the story, Darkmaster Bebuzzu. Your task is to defeat him and help your friends escape! The game is RPG style overall, but interspersed with lots of minigames that you must complete to progress - it's not too easy, but not ridiculously hard either. Each set of minigames unlocks a different story & helps you release a friend. Along the way, you also collect cards, which you can use in battles against villains along the way - similar to Pokemon really.

This game is really easy to control, you only use the stylus and it's always clear what the objective is at each given moment. The graphics are 2D and really cutesy - they might be simple, but they're really effective. The game might seem childish from the outset, but it's definitely worth playing!

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Product Details

Once upon a time there was a small, peaceful island protected by the crystals of fire, earth, water and light. On this island lived a white mage named Shirma, a black mage named Croma and a farm full of cheerful chocobos. Just when it looked like everybody was going to live happily ever after, Croma bought back a mysterious book from his latest journey. Without thinking twice, he opened the dark tome and inadvertently invited misfortune upon the island. Every nearby chocobo was sucked into the magical pages of the wicked book.